Chapter 455 : Kidnapping

Qin Zhao was in a bad mood when he heard Yun Qing was looking for him, but he still said, “Let him in.” After saying that, he looked at his house, and when he was gone, this residence would become Yun Qing’s as well. Come to think of it, he really couldn’t accept that!T

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When Yun Qing met with Qin Zhao, he did not go around the curves and skirt the corners2. He just got straight to the point: “Military affairs are tedious. I still hope that Brother Qin can grant me this request.” Only after sitting in this position did he realise there were too many things he had to deal with.

Qin Zhao wanted to spit blood on Yun Qing’s face3. He was plotting against him behind his back, and now he openly wanted his own man? However, even though he hated him, they had not yet torn each other apart. Qin Zhao replied with a fake smile, “Mr Xia has already resigned. I have no right to decide whether he stays or goes.” If he had known that Yun Qing wanted to use Mr Xia, he would not have agreed to Mr Xia’s resignation and would have taken him to the capital instead.

Yun Qing was more expressive at home but still put on a cold face outside. After hearing Qin Zhao’s words, Yun Qing asked, “So Brother Qin doesn’t mind?”

Qin Zhao replied muffledly, “What I just said is very clear. If you have nothing else, you can take your leave.”

In response, Yun Qing said, “Thanks a lot, Brother Qin.” After saying that, he turned around and walked away.

When Qin Zhao heard this, he was so angry that he almost vomited blood. Why did he even thank him for? He didn’t even agree, okay? When did Yun Qing’s skin become so thick?

Once Yun Qing left the house, he told the page boy who took him there, “Take me to Mr Xia.” Mr Xia lived in the side courtyard. Yun Qing hadn’t met Mr Xia before but had someone pass on the message to him on his behalf. Although the Imperial Decree did not condemn Qin Zhao and only ordered him to go to the capital, many people knew that Qin Zhao might not be able to return after this trip. In addition to Xu Shi’s absence, the Qin residence had been in a complete mess at this time, with the inner and outer courtyards turned upside down. No one even noticed when they sent an outsider to deliver a message to Mr Xia.

Mr Xia was stunned when he saw Yun Qing and asked, “I have turned you down before. What are you doing here?” He thought that Yun Qing had given up after his refusal.

Yun Qing clasped his hands and bowed to Mr Xia. “Sir, Brother Qin has handed over the affairs of Yu City to me in the past few days, and I’m still not very clear about so many things. Sir, you have been with the Marshal for many years and are more familiar with all these matters. Therefore, I sincerely ask Mr Xia to assist me.”

Mr Xia shook his head. “The affairs of Yu City are not complicated. It won’t take you long to sort them out.”

The matters were not complicated, but they were tedious, making Yun Qing feel like his head would explode. “Sir, the recruits will arrive at the end of next month. I hope to settle all the matters in Yu City before they turn up. Please help me, Mr Xia.”

Mr Xia was taken aback for a moment but shook his head anyway. “I still can’t agree to that.”

Yun Qing said, “If Mr Xia is concerned about Brother Qin, there is no need for that. I just told Brother Qin about this matter, and he has agreed.” After a pause, Yun Qing continued, “Sir, you have followed the Marshal for so many years, so you should know the Marshal’s heart’s desire. His greatest wish while he was alive was for the soldiers of Yu City to stop bleeding and sacrificing themselves so everyone could live in peace and stability. This time, we have suffered heavy casualties after losing the war. Not only do the families of the dead soldiers need to be appeased, but the thousands of wounded and sick also need to be treated. These are all urgent matters that need to be addressed immediately. In addition to the arrival of new recruits, we also need to prepare their clothing and supplies, as well as daily necessities and other things.” Apart from these, many other issues still need to be solved.

Mr Xia asked incredulously, “Did you say the Young General agreed?” Mr Xia addressed Qin Zhao as Young General outside.

How could Mr Xia not understand Qin Zhao’s nature? He didn’t believe that Qin Zhao would agree to let him help Yun Qing, but it would be impossible to say that Yun Qing was lying. After all, this was still the Qin Residence!

Yun Qing replied, “Naturally. I just asked Qin Zhao myself, and he didn’t object. Since he didn’t object, that means he agrees.” This reply was utterly a bandit logic.

Mr Xia didn’t know whether to laugh or cry4. Was not objecting the same as agreeing? It was he who had resigned, and Qin Zhao was in no position to object, okay! But Mr Xia was somewhat softened by Yun Qing’s move. Regardless, Yun Qing’s attitude was very sincere. “Let me think about it. I’ll give you an answer before it gets dark tomorrow.”

Although this result was not very satisfactory, it was already a great improvement compared to before. Yun Qing nodded and said, “I’ll wait for good news from Sir.”

After Yun Qing left, Mr Xia muttered to himself: “This Han Shi is really impressive.” With Yun Qing’s stubborn temperament, there was no way he could even think of talking to Qin Zhao first and then talking to him. Therefore, Mr Xia was sure Han Shi had a hand in this matter. But he didn’t know whether that was good or bad.T

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After a while, Mr Xia went to see Qin Zhao.

Qin Zhao was in a terrible mood, and his complexion did not look good when he saw Mr Xia. However, Qin Zhao had no idea that Mr Xia and Yun Qing had met earlier. Not that he trusted Mr Xia, but Mr Xia had never crossed paths with Yun Qing. “What are you doing here?”

Hearing such ungracious words, Mr Xia smiled bitterly and said, “General, just now, Yun Qing told me that he was not very familiar with the affairs of Yu City and asked me to help him for a couple of months. When everything was in order, he would let me go back.” When Mr Xia said this, those who didn’t know would think it was as if Yun Qing was coercing him.

Qin Zhao laughed coldly at this. “You’ve already made up your mind. Why are you still asking me?” If Mr Xia didn’t have the intention of helping Yun Qing, he wouldn’t have come to talk to him.

Mr Xia explained, “I want to have a beginning and an end, so when I have helped him take care of the affairs of the border city, and everything is on track, then I will leave. That will be the last thing I can do for Yu City.” He had stayed in Yu City for over twenty years and was extremely reluctant to leave.

Qin Zhao didn’t have the patience to listen to these pretentious words. If Mr Xia wanted to make a career with Yun Qing, he could just say so, and Qin Zhao would not stop him. Of course, he couldn’t stop him even if he wanted to. Mr Xia had been with Marshal Qin for more than 20 years and had built up some connections. If Qin Zhao were to make things difficult for Mr Xia by suddenly getting angry with him for no reason, it would send shivers down everyone’s spine. Qin Zhao still wanted to fight to return here, so he did not want to lose the people’s hearts. Qin Zhao said, “You have already resigned, so I have no right to interfere with whatever you want to do.”

Mr Xia knew that Qin Zhao would not listen to him no matter what he said. “I hope everything goes well for the General on your trip to the capital.”

Qin Zhao responded with a sound of acknowledgement.

Mr Xia had just walked through the study door when he saw Qin Zhao trotting over. Seeing Qin Zhao’s panicked expression, Mr Xia knew something must have happened. He just wanted to turn around and return inside but quickly remembered that he had resigned. Even if something had gone wrong, Qin Zhao would not let him interfere.

It didn’t take Mr Xia long to understand why Qin Zhao was so worried. It turned out that Xu Shi had encountered a band of horse thieves6 on her way back from the provincial capital. The men Xu Shi brought with her were no match for the bandits, and as a result, all three of them, Xu Shi and her children, were taken away. Qin Zhao panicked, for he had received a letter from the horse thieves6 demanding that he pay them 100,000 taels of silver as ransom. When Qin Zhao received the news, he didn’t even have time to pack his things and left with a group of guards.

News spread quickly that Xu Shi and her three children had been kidnapped by the horse thieves6, who demanded a ransom of 100,000 taels. Yun Qing soon found out about it too.

Although Yun Qing did not like Qin Zhao, he respected Marshal Qin. This time, when Marshal Qin’s only great-grandson7 had been kidnapped by horse thieves6, he certainly could not just watch with folded arms8. He immediately ordered sixty elite soldiers to go after Qin Zhao, hoping they could help. As a result, the men he had sent out returned before nightfall.

The leader, Feng Baohu, reported, “General, Qin Zhao won’t let us follow, telling us not to interfere in his family’s affairs.”

Yun Qing said nothing to that.

Upon returning home, Yuxi noticed Yun Qing’s frosty face and asked, “What’s wrong?” No matter how tedious the military affairs were, they could not make Yun Qing show such an expression.

Yun Qing replied coldly, “Xu Shi was kidnapped by the horse thieves6 along with Qin Huai and Qin Jiao. The bandits sent a letter demanding that Qin Zhao deliver 100,000 taels of silver or else they would tear up the ticket9.”

Yuxi was so startled by the news that she blurted out, “How can that be?”

Yun Qing said, “It’s true. The horse thief has already sent the letter to the Qin residence. When Qin Zhao got the letter, he brought the money to ransom her.”

Yuxi thought there was a little more to the news. “I heard that Xu Shi took more than thirty guards with her when she left, all of whom were veterans of a hundred battles10 and had seen a lot of blood, so ordinary horse thieves6 wouldn’t dare to mess with them. If those bandits could kidnap the three of them, Xu Shi and her children, they must be part of a larger gang of horse thieves6. But how did they get the information? He Rui, a bigger gang of horse thieves6 would not strike unless it were a big deal. So these people must have got the news in advance, and that’s why they attacked the caravan halfway along the road.” Then came the vital question of who leaked the information.

Remembering the previous rumours about Xu Shi, Yun Qing commented, “Xu Shi has been arrogant and extravagant. Something will surely happen to her sooner or later.” For someone who used to live in luxury, it would be impossible for her to live a life of poverty.

Yuxi said, “Not only that, but Xu Shi also stands out for bringing so many people with her. As soon as those people discover Xu Shi’s identity, they will naturally try to catch her at any cost.” If they captured Xu Shi and her children, the ransom alone would be a large sum of money, not to mention the gold, silver and jewellery they had brought.

Yun Qing looked at his daughter, who was spitting milk bubbles, and vowed, “One day, I will wipe out all these vicious horse thieves6.” If these scourges were not eliminated, there was no guarantee they wouldn’t set their sights on Yuxi and his child.

Yuxi was not anxious. So long as she did not leave Yu City, she would have to worry about safety issues. “The court is in chaos, the government is corrupt, and corrupt officials are rampant. Those bandits and horse thieves6 can’t be completely eradicated if these things aren’t resolved.” With the world in chaos, ordinary people couldn’t survive. Either they would rise up and resist or rule the mountains and become bandits.

Yun Qing was silent. He knew very well that the Crown Prince had to listen to the Song and Yu families on many matters at court these days, making him almost like a puppet. It was impossible to control the corrupt officials without power on his side.

Footnotes Full List

Don’t worry. He will never move into your place.

Chinese idiom: fig. to speak in a roundabout way

/ to equivocate

/ to beat around the bush

fig. very angry with someone)l

Chinese idiom: find sth. both funny and annoying

Isn’t that good? Her skills complement Yun Qing’s. And Yun Qing is a much better general than Qin Zhao.

(old) group of horse-mounted bandits

Qin Zhao has a son and a daughter. Just in case everyone forgot.

Chinese idiom: to look on without lifting a finger

to kill a hostage (usually held for ransom)

Chinese idiom: experienced